Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:57 am

by chespernevins

Motherlode,

Thanks a lot for that update. I'm glad he's doing ok. Too bad that he's on oxygen - it must be difficult to play. (As an aside - do you know they are finding that harmonica playing is good for people with COPD? It's more entertaining but has the equal effect of using those breathing workout machines).

My good friend pianist Lee Shaw, who I'm on those recordings with has also been on oxygen for quite a while. She is not getting around very well, but when she plays, it sounds as good as ever!

Will you go back to Detroit in 2013?

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:19 pm

by chespernevins

Ha ha! Well, luckily, you wrote everything down, so I can catch up! I really liked your 9 tone order thing, but I'll get to that later.

Of course, the music is terrible on this web site mentioned above, but aside from that, the harmonica is supposed to have some benefit. The holes in the harp are small enough to create some resistance, much like the breathing exercise machines. Anyway, something he could think about.

PS. It's really great to hear this history from you.

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:21 am

by chespernevins

That's an interesting coincidence! Yes, how does something like this come together?

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Wow, great to hear that he's still performing, even with the breathing issues. Ask him how that's going, will you?

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 11:39 am

by chespernevins

Ok, very cool. Thanks for the news. Glad to hear that his health is looking up. I noticed that his wife was performing at the festival too, but hadn't known about her before either.

I guess if I had any specific questions re: the Concept for him, I would ask him how deep did he get into the LCC theory. The scales? Tonal Gravity Intervals? What else? Did it influence his playing or composing more, or both?

I suppose I would ask if there were any specific compositions by GR that influenced him or impressed him - or any groups - or any albums.

I hope the tune works out for everyone - maybe we can hear it here someday.

(Motherlode - would love to hear the Mingus story Seems like, I am guessing, a lot of Mingus's attitude may have depended on when you caught him...

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:23 pm

by chespernevins

Interesting that you have ready access to "the" song that makes the story.

Great tune! Reading a chart like that will give fits to us harmonica players, lol!

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 1:05 pm

by chespernevins

Hey, let the horns do the heavy lifting...and you just come in singing on the harp!! I'll watch your back. LOL.

HA HA Love it!

"Simple So" :

Wow, very nice. Lyrics too!

You've got some interesting things going on metrically there. I listened a few times, but am not sure what it is yet exactly.

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 1:12 pm

by bobappleton

writing with a slightly red face... apologies for not yet having done anything with zero gravity... it's beautiful and i will... also loving "simple so" and just realized that today is your 6th birthday on the forum... all best wishes and (to quote chesper) thanks for all you post here...b

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:11 pm

by bobappleton

beautiful… he looks great, it all sounds great… detroit is new york )

was in michigan again for xmas and met another detroit musician - a piano player who teaches IT at MSU and who's wife teaches music in detroit…. thinking about all the great talent that still lives there… and wishing them a transformative new year…

b

Re: Marcus Belgrave article

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:14 pm

by bobappleton

been reading a lot of coltrane lately - so many books now… i love the part where he says - i want my music to make deaf people hear and poor people rich - like wishes he could make and grant through playing…